Adjustable spray nozzle

ABSTRACT

An adjustable spray nozzle provides control over spray flow rate and spray pattern. The adjustable nozzle fits common aerosol paint cans and may replace a non-adjustable nozzle which is provided with the aerosol paint can. The nozzle includes a nozzle body, a needle valve for adjusting flow, and an adjustable orifice for adjusting the spray pattern. The needle valve screws into the top of the nozzle body and is aligned with a fluid passage extending vertically through the nozzle body. The needle valve may be removed to facilitate cleaning the nozzle, and the adjustable orifice snaps into the nozzle body and may be rotated to select a vertical fan or horizontal fan spray pattern.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to spray nozzles and in particular to an adjustable nozzle for aerosol spray cans.

Aerosol paint is commonly used for small painting tasks. Various paint types and container sizes are used to meet a variety of needs. The paint is generally contained in a pressurized can, and a simple nozzle resides on a stem protruding from the top of the can. The nozzles typically are removable to clean or replace if necessary.

While aerosol paint cans provide ease of use, they are not very versatile. In contrast, common air brushes allow adjustment of a spray pattern, and thus allow for much more detailed or controlled painting. Unfortunately, air brushes also have added cost and require a separate compressed air source. As a result, aerosol cans with nozzles are much more common than air brushes, and adjustable nozzles have been developed for such aerosol cans to overcome some of the deficiencies of non-adjustable nozzles.

Adjustable nozzles for use with common aerosol spray cans are described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,648,932 for “Valve Button With Aspirator Passageway, ” and U.S. Pat. No. 3,961,756 for “Adjustable-Spray Mechanism.” The adjustable nozzles described in the '932 patent and the '756 patent include cylindrical adjusters cooperating with valving portions of fluid passages, thereby allowing adjustment of a fluid flow through the fluid passage. The fluid passages are in fluid cooperation with the stem extending from a spray car and include a vertical portion, and then a horizontal portion including the valving portion. Unfortunately, because the valving portion is not aligned with the vertical portion, the valves are difficult to clean, and therefore clog easily. The nozzles described in the '932 patent and the '756 patent further do not provide means to adjust a spray pattern from the nozzles.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention addresses the above and other needs by providing an adjustable spray nozzle which provides control over a spray flow rate and a spray pattern. The adjustable nozzle fits common aerosol paint cans and may replace a non-adjustable nozzle which is provided with the aerosol paint can. The nozzle includes a nozzle body, a needle valve for adjusting flow, and an adjustable orifice for adjusting the spray pattern. The needle valve screws into the top of a nozzle body and is aligned with a fluid passage extending vertically through the nozzle body. The needle valve may be removed to facilitate cleaning the nozzle, and the adjustable orifice snaps into the nozzle body and may be rotated to select a vertical fan or horizontal fan spray pattern.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided an adjustable aerosol can spray nozzle comprising a nozzle body, a needle valve, and an orifice body. The nozzle body includes a fluid passage having a coupling portion of the fluid passage, a valving portion of the fluid passage and an orifice portion of the fluid passage. The coupling portion is adapted to cooperate with a stem of the aerosol spray can, and the valving portion is vertically aligned with the coupling portion. The orifice body resides in the orifice portion and includes an orifice in fluid communication with the fluid passage. The orifice body is adjustable to adjust a plane of a spray pattern. The needle valve is adapted to cooperate with the valving portion of the fluid passage to vary a fluid flow through the fluid passage.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided an adjustable aerosol can spray nozzle comprising a nozzle body and a needle valve. The nozzle body comprises a fluid passage, a coupling portion of the fluid passage, a valving portion of the fluid passage, and an orifice in fluid cooperation with the fluid passage and affecting a spray of fluid from the nozzle body. The coupling portion is adapted to cooperate with a stem of the aerosol spray can. The valving portion is vertically aligned with the coupling portion and the needle valve is adapted to cooperate with the valving portion of the fluid passage to vary a fluid flow through the fluid passage.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following more particular description thereof, presented in conjunction with the following drawings wherein:

FIG. 1A is a spray can and an adjustable nozzle according to the present invention, the adjustable nozzle is detached from the spray can.

FIG. 1B is the spray can with the adjustable nozzle attached to the spray can.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the adjustable nozzle.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the adjustable nozzle taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a side view of an adjuster comprising a needle valve according to the present invention.

FIG. 4A is a side view of an adjuster comprising a second needle valve according to the present invention.

FIG. 5A is a front view of a first orifice body according to the present invention.

FIG. 5B is a side view of the first orifice body according to the present invention.

FIG. 6A is a cross-sectional view of the first orifice body taken along line 6A-6A of FIG. 5A.

FIG. 6B is a cross-sectional view of the first orifice body taken along line 6B-6B of FIG. 6A.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the adjustable nozzle taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2, with a second orifice body.

FIG. 8A is a cross-sectional view of a top section of the nozzle body taken along line 8A-8A of FIG. 7.

FIG. 8B is a cross-sectional view of the adjuster taken along line 8B-8B of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a side view of the second orifice body according to the present invention.

FIG. 10A is a spray pattern for the adjustable nozzle with a mouth of the orifice body in a horizontal orientation.

FIG. 10B is a spray pattern for the adjustable nozzle with the mouth of the orifice body in a vertical orientation.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding components throughout the several views of the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following description is of the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the invention. This description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of describing one or more preferred embodiments of the invention. The scope of the invention should be determined with reference to the claims.

A spray can 12 and an adjustable nozzle 10 according to the present invention is shown in FIG. 1A with the adjustable nozzle 10 detached from the spray can 12. A stem 14 extends vertically from the spray can 12, which stem 14 provides a fluid flow to the adjustable nozzle 10 when the stem 14 is depressed. The spray can 12 with the adjustable nozzle 10 attached to the spray can 12 is shown in FIG. 1B. The adjustable nozzle 10 includes a nozzle body 16, an adjuster 18, and an orifice 20.

A front view of the adjustable nozzle 10 is shown in FIG. 2. A cross-sectional view of the adjustable nozzle 10 taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2 is shown in FIG. 3. The adjustable nozzle 10 includes a fluid passage 26 running vertically through the nozzle body 16 and then diagonally to the orifice 20. A coupling portion 22 of the fluid passage 26 extends downward from the nozzle body 16. The coupling portion 22 is adapted to mechanically cooperate with the stem 14 to allow the stem 14 to be depressed by pressing downward on the nozzle body 16, thereby causing fluid to be expelled through the stem 14 into the fluid passage 26. Such stem 14 is common in aerosol cans 12.

A valving portion 24 of the fluid passage 26 resides above the coupling portion 22 and is in fluid communication with the coupling portion 22. The adjuster 18 extends into the valving portion 24, and cooperates with the valving portion to vary a fluid flow through the fluid passage 26. The valving portion 24 is substantially coaxial with the coupling portion 22, thereby allowing easy cleaning of the fluid passage 26 when the adjuster 18 is removed from the nozzle body 16.

An orifice body 20 a resides in an orifice portion 21 of the fluid passage 26, and the orifice body 20 a includes the orifice 20. The orifice portion 21 is preferably inclined approximately 7.5 degrees from the horizontal, upwards away from the fluid passage 26.

A side view of a preferred adjuster 18 comprising a needle valve is shown in FIG. 4. The adjuster 18 includes a knob 28, adjuster threads 30, and a valving portion 24. The knob 28 allows easy adjustment of the adjuster 18. The adjuster threads 30 threadedly cooperate with nozzle body 16 whereby the adjuster 18 may be advanced into the valving portion 24 or retreated from the valving portion 24 by turning the knob 28. The adjuster threads 30 preferably comprise 1/4 by 28 threads. The adjuster tip 32 cooperates with the valving portion 24 to control a flow through the nozzle 10, and is preferably conical defining an approximately thirty (total) degree cone. The valving portion 24 preferably approximately matches the shape of the tip 32. An adjuster groove 31 separates the valving portion 24 from the adjuster threads 30.

A second needle valve 18 a is shown in FIG. 4A. The needle valve 18 a includes a seal 33 which cooperates with the valving portion 24 to block a flow of fluid.

A front view of a first orifice body 20 a according to the present invention is shown in FIG. 5A, and a side view of the first orifice body 20 a is shown in FIG. 5B. The first orifice body 20 a is substantially cylindrical and is retained in the orifice passage 21 by a snap fit or a friction fit. The orifice body 20 a includes a mouth 34 on an exposed end of the orifice 20. The mouth 34 has a height H when in a horizontal position, which height H is preferably approximately 0.03 inches.

A cross-sectional view of the first orifice body 20 a taken along line 6A-6A of FIG. 5A is shown in FIG. 6A, and a cross-sectional view of the first orifice body 20 a taken along line 6B-6B of FIG. 6A is shown in FIG. 6B. The mouth 34 has a width W when in a horizontal position, which width W is preferable approximately 0.09 inches.

A second cross-sectional view of a second adjustable nozzle 1Ob taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2, is shown in FIG. 7, including a second nozzle body 16 b, a second adjuster 18 b, and a second orifice body 20 b. The nozzle body 16 b includes stops 36 on the top thereof. A second knob 28 b includes tabs 38 on the bottom thereof. The nozzle body 16 b includes a ring groove 40 in the orifice portion (see 21 in FIG. 3) which cooperates with an orifice ring 42 on the orifice body 20 b (see FIG. 9) to retain the orifice body 20 b in the nozzle body 16 b.

A cross-sectional view of the nozzle body 16 b taken along line 8A-8A of FIG. 7 is shown in FIG. 8A, and a cross-sectional view of the adjuster 28 b taken along line 8B-8B of FIG. 7 is shown in FIG. 8B. The stops 36 of the nozzle body 16 b and the tabs 38 of the knob 28 b cooperate to provide an indication of a full open position of the adjuster 16 b.

A side view of a second orifice body 20 b according to the present invention is shown in FIG. 9. The orifice body 20 b includes the orifice ring 42 for cooperation with the orifice groove 40 (see FIG. 7), and includes a ribbed outer ring 43 for easy adjustment of the orifice body 20 b.

A horizontal spray pattern 44 a for the adjustable nozzle 10 with the mouth 34 of the orifice body 20 a or 20 b in a horizontal orientation is shown in FIG.10A, and a vertical spray pattern 44 b for the adjustable nozzle 10 with the mouth 34 of the orifice body 20 a or 20 b in a vertical orientation is shown in FIG. 10B.

While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means of specific embodiments and applications thereof, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention set forth in the claims. 

1. An adjustable spray nozzle comprising: a nozzle body comprising: a fluid passage; a coupling portion of the fluid passage, wherein the coupling portion is adapted to receive fluid from a fluid source; a valving portion of the fluid passage, wherein the valving portion is aligned with the coupling portion; and an orifice in fluid cooperation with the fluid passage, the orifice affecting a spray of fluid from the nozzle body; and an adjuster adapted to cooperate with the valving portion of the fluid passage to vary a fluid flow through the fluid passage.
 2. The adjustable spray nozzle of claim 1, wherein the coupling portion is adapted to attach to an aerosol spray can stem.
 3. The adjustable spray nozzle of claim 1, wherein the adjuster is a needle valve.
 4. The adjustable spray nozzle of claim 3, wherein the needle valve threadedly cooperates with the nozzle body to advance and to retreat the needle valve with respect to the valving portion.
 5. The adjustable spray nozzle of claim 4, wherein the needle valve includes a conical end which cooperates with the valving portion to adjust the flow of fluid through the fluid passage.
 6. The adjustable spray nozzle of claim 5, wherein the needle valve includes a valve groove above the conical end.
 7. The adjustable spray nozzle of claim 4, wherein the nozzle body includes stops and the needle valve includes tabs, and wherein the cooperation of the tabs and the stops provides an indication of a full open position of the needle valve.
 8. The adjustable spray nozzle of claim 1, wherein the valving portion and the coupling portion are substantially coaxial.
 9. The adjustable spray nozzle of claim 8, wherein the adjuster is removable to clean the fluid passage.
 10. The adjustable spray nozzle of claim 1, further including an orifice body, wherein the orifice resides in the orifice body, and the orifice body is adjustable to adjust a plane of a spray pattern.
 11. The adjustable spray nozzle of claim 10, wherein the orifice body is adjustable to adjust a plane of a spray pattern between a horizontal plane and a vertical plane.
 12. The adjustable spray nozzle of claim 1, wherein the orifice is a removable orifice having an orifice body.
 13. The adjustable spray nozzle of claim 12, wherein the orifice body includes an orifice ring and the nozzle body includes a ring groove, and wherein the orifice body is removably held in the nozzle body by cooperation of the orifice ring and the ring groove.
 14. An adjustable aerosol can spray nozzle comprising: a nozzle body comprising: a fluid passage; a coupling portion of the fluid passage, wherein the coupling portion is adapted to attach to a stem of an aerosol spray can; a valving portion of the fluid passage, wherein the valving portion is vertically aligned with the coupling portion; and an orifice in fluid cooperation with the fluid passage, the orifice affecting a spray of fluid from the nozzle body; and a needle valve adapted to cooperate with the valving portion of the fluid passage to vary a fluid flow through the fluid passage.
 15. The adjustable spray nozzle of claim 14, wherein the needle valve threadedly cooperates with the nozzle body to advance to retreat the needle valve with respect to the valving portion.
 16. The adjustable spray nozzle of claim 14, wherein the needle valve is removable to clean the fluid passage.
 17. The adjustable spray nozzle of claim 14, wherein the nozzle body includes at least one stop and the needle valve includes at least one tab, and wherein the cooperation of the tab and the stop provides an indication of a full open position of the needle valve.
 18. The adjustable spray nozzle of claim 14, wherein the orifice resides in an orifice body, and the orifice body is adjustable to adjust a plane of a spray pattern.
 19. An adjustable aerosol can spray nozzle comprising: a nozzle body comprising: a fluid passage; a coupling portion of the fluid passage, wherein the coupling portion is adapted to cooperate with a stem of an aerosol spray can; a valving portion of the fluid passage, wherein the valving portion is vertically aligned with the coupling portion; and an orifice portion; a needle valve adapted to cooperate with the valving portion of the fluid passage to vary a fluid flow through the fluid passage; and an orifice body residing in the orifice portion and including an orifice in fluid communication with the fluid passage, wherein the orifice body is adjustable to adjust a plane of a spray pattern.
 20. The adjustable spray nozzle of claim 18, wherein the orifice body includes an orifice ring and the orifice portion includes a ring groove, and wherein the orifice body is removably held in the orifice portion by cooperation of the orifice ring and the ring groove. 